Machine for making spur-wheel fencing



(No Mqdel.) a Sheets-Sheet 1.

'J. WILLOUGHBY.

MAGHINE FOR MAKING SPUR WHEEL FENCING.

No. 343,288. Patented June a, 1886.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. WILLOUGHBY. MAGHINE FOR MAKING SPUR WHEEL FENCING.

Patented June 8, 1886.

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(No Model.) 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. WILLOUGHBY.

MACHINE FOR MAKING SPUR WHEEL PENGING.

No. 343,288. Patented June 8, 1886.

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ZJZE i Z UNITED STATES PATENT ()rincn.

JoHN WILLOUGHBY, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To THE'MONITOR' WORKS,or BELOIT, wISooNSIN.

MACHINE FOR MAKING SPUR-WHEEL FENCING.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 343,288, dated June 8,1886.

v Application filed January 21, 1886. Serial No. 169,279. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WILLOUGHBY, a citizen of the United States,residing in Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Making Spur-IVheel Fencing, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine for manufacturingspur-wheel fencingsuch, for example, as that patented in Letters PatentNo. 230,445 to J. StollJuly 27, 1880, or No. 282,453 to J. Goss, July31, 1883 and wherein the fence-wire consists of two main I 5 strandsprovided at intervals with star or spur wheels mounted on cross or pivotwires secured to the two main strands; and to this end my invention andmy machine embodying the same consists, essentially, in connection withsuitable feed-wheels or other feed mechanism for feeding-the two mainstrands or wires forward at suitable intervals, of a spur-wheel carrieror device for moving the spur-wheel into position between the two mainwires, a reciprocating feed-slide or other suitable feed device forinserting the pivot-wire'through the hole or opening in the spur wheeland across the two main or fence wires, knives or other suitable devicesfor cutting off the pivotwire, and coiling-fingers or other suitabledevices for bending or folding the ends of the pivot about the twofence-wires.

The bending of theends of the pivot-wire may be best performed in part,especially the finishing part, by a reciprocating die or clincher; andmy invention also consists, in conjunction with other bending or foldingdevices, of a die or clincher by which the pivot-wire may be securelyclosed or folded into the required position In the accompanyingdrawings, whichform a part of this specification, and in which similarletters of reference indicate like parts, I have shown=one form ofmachine, and that 45 which I deem to be the best, embodying my inventionand illustrating its principle and mode of operation.

In said drawings, Figure '1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2is a horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and

showing in plan view most of the operating parts. Fig. 3 is an enlargeddetail view showing the form of driving mechanism employed for actuatingthe coiling fingers or shafts.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view showing the coiling-shafts. Fig. 5 isan enlarged detail view showing the spur-wheel carrier. Figs.

6, 7, 8, and 9 are detail views illustrating the operation of thepivot-wirebending devices. Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of thespur- '60 wheel-feeding device. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the spur-wheelcarrier, and Fig. 12 is a view of the spur-wheel fencing produced bythema chine. Fig. 13 is a detail perspective view showing the mechanismfor operating the clamp 6 5 on the spur-wheel carrier.

In said drawings, A represents the frame of the machine, which may be ofany suitable construction to accommodate the particular kind of drivingoractuating mechanism which may be employed to give the required motionto the several operating devices.

a and a represent the two fence-wires, cf the pivot-wire, a. the star orspur wheels, and a. the pivot as out from the pivot-wire.

B B represent the fence-wire-feeding device, preferably consisting oftwo intermittinglydriven grooved feed-wheels. Any other suitable feedingdevice ordinarily used in wireworking machines may, however, beemployed.

O G are coiling or bending devices for bending the ends of the pivot a*about the two main wires. These bending devices may preferably consist,as shown in the drawings, of 8 5 two hollow coilingshafts having fingersor projections c at their ends. My invention is, however, not limited toany particular kind or construction of coiling, bending, or foldingdevices,though I consider rotary coiling-shafts the preferable ones touse, as if hollow rotary coiling-shafts are employed they will alsoserve as guides or Supports for the main fence-wires a a, passingthrough them.

D represents the spur-wheel carrier, or de vice by which the spur-wheels a are carried or conveyed one by one into position between thefence-wires a and a. This device may preferably consist of a rotary orswinging arm provided with a clamp, d, for holding the spur- 10c wheel.This carrier or conveyer may, however, be of any other suitableconstructionas, for example, a reciprocating slide-without departingfrom the principle and mode of operation of my invention. After thespurwheel has been moved into position between the two fence-wires a anda by its carrier the pivot-wire a is inserted through the hole oropening a in said spur-wheel by the pivot-' wire-feed device E. Thiswire-feed device may preferably consist of a reciprocating slideprovided with dogs or wire-clamping devices e, pivoted to said slide E,and operating to-prevent the pivot-wire a from slipping or passing inthe wrong direction. These dogs 6 may be operated by springs e.

Vhile this reciprocating slide and its dogs atTord a convenient means ordevice for feedi ug the pivot-wire forward the requisite length at theintervals mentioned, any suitable wirefeeding device ordinarily used in'wire-working machines may be employed for performing thisfunctionas, forexample, wire feedrolls like those shown for feeding the mainfence-wires a a.

F and F represent two opposing knives or cutters for severing the pivota from the pivotwire a after the same has been fed across the main wiresand through the spur-wheel. One of these knives, F, may preferably bestationary or immovable. The cutting-edges of these knives are or shouldbe so set or arranged in relation to the direction of the pivotwire a asto cut the same ofi square, and thus leave square ends on the pivot a,to abut against the spur-wheel when turned or folded around against thesame, as shown in Fig. 9. The square ends of the pivot thus serve tohold the spur-wheel in a plane approximately at right angles to thepivot. After the pivotwire has been thus fed through the spur-wheel andacross the main wires and the pivot cut off by the knives the foldingdevices 0 O bend or fold the ends of the pivot a about the twofence-wires, as illustrated in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, the spur-wheel-carrierdevice being moved out of position shortly after the pivot-wire isinserted through the spur-wheel, so as not to be in the way oftheoperation of the bending devices.

G G represent dies or clinchers, preferably reciprocating ones, whichserve to bend or close the folded or partially-folded ends of the pivotdown close and firm, as shown in Figs. 9 and 12. These dies or clinchersG G may preferably both be made movable, and the lower die, G, may alsopreferably be secured to the same slide or bar as the movable knife F.In this way both the knife and the slide G may be both operated by thesame cam or actuating mechanism. Before the dies or clinchers G G closeupon the partially-folded pivot on the bending devices 0 Care recededinto the position shown in Fig. 9, so as not to be in the way of thedies.

The die-slides G G may preferably be each made in a single piece, andthey are each provided with a slot or opening, 9', for the spurwheel, sothat the dies or clinchers may close together without injuring the spurwheel. These slots or openings galso serve as a guide or partial holderfor the spur-wheel when it is first carried into position by thespur-wheel carrier and while the pivot-wire is being in serted'throughthe same. After the pivotwire is inserted through the spur-wheel it willserve to support the spur-wheel.

The spur-wheels a may be fed or supplied to the carrier D in anysuitable manneras, for example, by an intermittingly-rotary feedwheel,K, having radially-projecting pins k upon its periphery, which, as thefeed-wheel revolves, enter and engage in the central hole or opening ofthe bottom of one of the slightlyinclined stack or pile of spur-wheelsin a suppl y-tube, L. The bottom 1 of this supply-tube is or should beinclined slightly to a tangent to the periphery of the feed-wheel, andcovers only a portion of the base of the supply-tube L, so that as thepins k revolve they will pass under the edge of the bottom spur-wheel,but engage the same when it passes the central hole or opening in thespur-wheel. \Vith this method or means of feeding or supplying thespur-wheels to the carrier D it will of course be understood that thespur-wheels are to be previously punched or manufactured. Suitabledevices, however, may be employed to feed the spur-wheels to thecarrier 1) directly; from a punch, if desired.

The several operating parts or devices of my machine may be actuated ordriven by any suitable or convenient mechanism from one or more main ordriving shafts. I prefer, however, to actuate each of the operatingdevices by substantially such mechanism as is shown in the drawings,though the same may be greatly varied without departing from myinventionthat is to say, the main wire-feed device B B,or one of saidfeed-wheels,is actuated by a cam, N, on the main driving-shaft M,through a pawl, a, and ratchet a on the shaft B of said feed-wheel. Theother feedwheel will revolve or be driven by friction with this one. Therotary benders or coiling-shafts C G are given their required motions bymeans of a cam, O, on the main shaft, through a lever, 0, pivoted to themain frame, link 0, and double sliding rack 0, which meshes with pinions0 0" on said coiling-shafts O G. The spur-wheel carrier or couveyer D isvibrated or swung into position by means of a cam, P, on the maindrivingshaft, through a-link, p, and crank p on f'the shaft or pivot 12of said carrier D. The clamp 01 of said carrier is actuated to closeupon the spur-wheel and hold it until the pivot-wire has been threadedthrough it, and then to release it by means of a cam, Q, on the maindriving-shaft, through a pivoted lever or presser-foot, q, which pressesagainst a pin, q, extending through the hollow shaft 1), and thusactuates the lever g, which closes the clamp d, said clamp (I beinghinged to the Mazes 3 carrier-arm D. The clamp dis thrown open, I forsevering the pivot, pivot bending or foldwhen not held closed by the camand its connecting mechanism. by means of a spring, q. The seat orreceptacle (1' in the carrier D and clamp (Z for the spur-wheel shouldbe of semicircular shape, as indicated more fullyin Fig. 11, so that thespur-Wheel will always occupy the same relative position in the carrier,and thus be presented in proper position for insertion of thepivot-wire. The pivot-wire-feed slide E may be operated by a cam, R, onthe main driving-shaft through a lever, J and link a", which connectswith said feed-slide.

The clinchers or dies G G may each be operated by cams S and T throughlevers s and t and links 5- t, connecting said levers and saiddie-slides. If the movable knife F is, as shown, made integral with orconnected rigidly to the die-slide G, it may be operated by the samecam, S. It will of course, however, be understood that when so operatedthe cam S will or should have two convolutions, as the operations of theknife and of the die are not simultaneous. After the pivot has beenfolded into the form shown in Fig. 8 the die G makes a slight upwardmovement, so as to support the pivot on the under side, as an anvil,against the blow or pressure of the upper die or clincher, G. Thespur-wheel feed K may be actuated by a cam, U, on the main shaft throughlever a, link a, pawl and lever it, and ratchet a on the shaft of thespur feedwheel. A curved guard, H, should extend around the feed-wheel Kas a guard or guide for the spur-wheels carried by the pins k. Thiscurved guard should extend down almost to the carrier D, when it isretracted to re ceive the spur-wheel.

lVhile the actuating mechanisms above described afford convenient meansfor giving the required movements to the various operating devices ofthe machine, I desire it to be distinctly understood that such actuatingmechanism may be entirely changed and other equivalent or substitutemechanism may be employed without departing-from the principle and modeof operation of my invention; and it will alsobe understood that anychange in the particular kind of operating device employed forperforming any particular function of the machine-as, for example, bythe substitution of an equivalent device or devicesmay also necessitatea change in the actuating mechanism therefor.

After the spur-wheel-fence wire leaves the machine the two fence-strandsa a may be twisted or partially twisted together by any suitabletwisting mechanism, if desired, or it may he wound directly upon thespool, as the pivots a serve to bind and hold the two fencestrandssecurely together, and as the fencewire is ready for use without beingtwisted.

I claim 1. I11 a machine for manufacturing spurwheel fencing, thecombination, with a feed device for the main fence-wires, of a spurwheel carrier, apivot-wirefeed device,knives ing devices, and dies orclinchers for pressing the folded ends of the pivot into position,substantially as specified.

2. In a machine for manufacturing spurwheel fencing, the combination,with a feed device for the main fence-wires, of a spurwheel carrier, afeed device for delivering the spurwheels one by one to said carrier, apivotwire-feed device, knives for severi ngthe pivot, pivot bending orfolding devices, and dies or clinchers for pressing the folded ends ofthe pivot into position, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with suitable guides or supports for the twofence-strands, of a spurwheel carrier'or device for moving the spurwheelinto position between the two fencestrands, and a pivot -wire -feeddevice for thrusting the pivot-wire through the opening in thespunwheel, substantially as specified.

4. The combination,with a. spur-wheel carrier or device for conveyingthe spur-wheel into position between the two fence-strands, of apivot-wire-i'eed device for thrusting the pivot-wire through the openingin the spurwheel, su bstantially'as specified.

5. The combination, with a spur-wheel can.

pivot-wire through the opening in the spurwheel, and knives for severingthe pivot-wire, said knives being set or arranged with theircutting-edges at right angles to the direction of the pivot-wire,substantially as specified.

7. The combination,with a spur-wheel carrier or device for conveying thespur-wheel into position between the two fences-trands, of apivot-wire-feed device for thrusting the pivot-wire through the openingin the spurwheel, knives for severing the pivot-wire, and bendingdevices for folding the ends of the pivot about the two fence-strands,substantially as specified.

8. The combination, with aspur-Wheel carrier or device for conveying thespur-wheel into position between the two fence-strands, of apivot-wire-feed device for thrusting the pivot-wire through the openingin the spurwheel, knives for severing the pivot-wire, bending devicesfor folding the ends of the pivot about the two fence-strands, and diesor clinchers for pressing the folded ends of the pivot into the requiredform, substantially as specified.

9. The combination, with a spur-wheel carrier or device for conveyingthe spur-wheel into position between the two fence-strands, of apivot-wire-feed device for thrusting the pivot-wire through the openingin the spur wheel, knives. for severing the pivot-wire,

bending devices for folding the ends, of the pivot about the twofence-strands, and dies or clinchers for pressing the folded ends of the5 pivot into the required form, said dies or clinchers having slots orrecesses for the spurwheel, substantially as specified.

10. .The combination, with devices for bend ing the ends of thepivotabout the two fencestrands, of slotted dies or clinchers for finishingsaid operation, substantially as specified.

1 1. The combination, with devices for bending the ends of thepivot-wire about the two fence-strands, of a pair of reciprocating diesor clinchers having slots for the spurwheel,

substantially as specified.

12. The combination, with rotary coiling-or bending shafts C0, ofslotted clinchers or dies G G, substantially as specified.

13. The combination, with a vibrating or swinging spu nwheel carrier, D,having clamps (l, of a rotary feed-wheel, K, having pins It on itsperiphery, and a supply-tube, L, substair tially as specified.

14. The combination, with two parallel coiling-shafts,C 0, provided withgears 0 0 of a reciprocating double rack, 0", for actuating the same,substantially as specified.

15. The combination, with two parallel rotary coiling-shafts, O O,provided with gears 0 0, of a reciprocating double rack, 0*, cam O,lever 0, andlink o,for actuating the same, substantially as specified.

15. The combination, with a vlbratory or swinging spu r-wheel carrier,D, provided with clamp d, of a cam and suitable connecting mechanism foractuating said clamp, substantially as specified.

17. The combinatiomwith a spur-wheel-can rier arm, D, of clamp d, cam P,link 19, crank 1), hollow shaft 1)", cam Q, lever q, pin q, and lover(f, substantially as specified.

18. The combination of clinchers or dies G G with cams S T, levers s t,and links 8 i, substantially as specified.

19. The combination, with supply-tube L, offeedw11eel K,havingpins 'It011 its periphery, and a curved guard, H, substantially as specified.

20. The combination, with supply-tube L, of feed-wheel K,having pins kupon its periphery, cams U, lever a, link a, pawl-lever a and ratchet uon the shaft of said feed-wheel, substantially as specified.

21. The combination, with two parallel guides or supports for the twofence wires a a of a carrier or device for conveying the spur-wheel intoposition between said fencewires, said carrier having a semicircularseat or recess for said spur-wheel, substantially as specified.

22. In a spur-wheel-fence machine, a pair of clincher-s or dies, as G G,having slots gfor the spur-wheel, substantially as specified.

JOHN \VILLOUGHBY.

\Vitnesses:

FRANK A. LYTLE, LANDY H. MARTIN.

